Prog 2112 - Assault and Battery

Tjm86 · 28 December, 2018, 03:44:23 PM

IIRC mods are a bit coy about the New Year's prog being spoken about too much so I'm going to exercise caution here. That said, 'twas a nice surprise on the door mat this morning. Granted it does mean another extended wait for 2113 but glass half full and all that.

Trevallion's cover is sublime, I have to say. Lots to enjoy inside although Dredd does seem like a lot of work for the punchline. Some nice ideas in the 3riller but these seem to be quite hit and miss. Wait and see. In ascending order for the remainder of the prog then; Skip Trace, Fiends, Brink. The latter could do with being embargoed in terms of discussion until it lands on stands but lots going on.

So if 2019 is going to be the year British 'civilisation' finally crumbles, at least Tooth will be seeing it out in style if this is anything to go by.

Eamonn Clarke · 29 December, 2018, 12:34:38 PM

Mr Tiernen Trevallion.

Slightly wobbly lap photo.

broodblik · 29 December, 2018, 12:45:04 PM

Great cover to start the new year with..........

Colin YNWA · 30 December, 2018, 09:21:59 PM

Quote from: Tjm86 on 28 December, 2018, 03:44:23 PM
IIRC mods are a bit coy about the New Year's prog being spoken about too much so I'm going to exercise caution here. That said, 'twas a nice surprise on the door mat this morning.

I'm not sure I remember this - but my memory is absolute rubbish but I think this is when the Prog is due to land and so I'm going to review and be damned. It goes without saying if I shouldn't remove as required.

The 1st Prog of 2019 is a little disappointing - not that the stories are bad - far from it in most cases - just feels a bit more in the middle of things rather than a brand spanking new launch start of the year Prog... I think there maybe scheduling issues behind this ... but I could be wrong. We'll come to all that.

Firstly Dredd is a quietly fantastic one off by McConville and Cornwell. I'm getting to be a big fan of McConville's Dredd and his prefectly timed and tight old school thrill is evidence as to why that is. BUT it feels like the kind of thrill to keep spirits up after a loved long form story has ended, rather than a blast into the new year introduction for new readers.

Brink is just brilliant - but in the middle of a story.

Skip Tracer is good fun as the world is beginning to be fleshed out as needed. Gresh out the block from the X-Mas prog so all good.

3riller - The Scorched Zone - just give me the fact man... oh actually no I want characters I engage with as well and alas this one lack this yet. Still lets see how it develops. The big question however is why is this here? Were we expecting something else? Is this a gap filler or am I imagining that? In my head I seem to recall something else was meant to be included in the Prog... but for the life of me I might be mis-remembering. Heaven help me it wouldn't be the first time?

Fiends of the Western Front - just fantastic and again fresh out the launch Prog so all good, no wonderful here.

Okay so it feels really churlish to be a little unsatisfyied with a Prog this good, I mean 4 out of 5 are fine thrills and the 5th isn't bad its just not there yet. Its all in the timing it just doesn't feel like the first Prog of the year and rather one at the end of a run while Tharg gets his thrills lined up.

broodblik · 31 December, 2018, 04:32:36 AM

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 30 December, 2018, 09:21:59 PM

3riller - The Scorched Zone - just give me the fact man... oh actually no I want characters I engage with as well and alas this one lack this yet. Still lets see how it develops. The big question however is why is this here? Were we expecting something else? Is this a gap filler or am I imagining that? In my head I seem to recall something else was meant to be included in the Prog... but for the life of me I might be mis-remembering. Heaven help me it wouldn't be the first time?

My understanding was that a new thrill by the name of Thistlebone would have started. So yes I believe the 3riller is a filler.

Colin YNWA · 31 December, 2018, 06:45:29 AM

Quote from: broodblik on 31 December, 2018, 04:32:36 AM
My understanding was that a new thrill by the name of Thistlebone would have started. So yes I believe the 3riller is a filler.

That's the one. I wonder what happened there?

gameluvah · 31 December, 2018, 03:44:12 PM

Haven't read the prog yet (Digital reader here!) but how spoiled are we that a good solid installment seems like a letdown after the last few stellar months. Good time to be a fan!

The Amstor Computer · 31 December, 2018, 05:27:13 PM

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 31 December, 2018, 06:45:29 AM
Quote from: broodblik on 31 December, 2018, 04:32:36 AM
My understanding was that a new thrill by the name of Thistlebone would have started. So yes I believe the 3riller is a filler.

That's the one. I wonder what happened there?

AFAIK, Thistlebone is a Tom Eglinton/Simon Davis strip, and looking at the pieces Simon Davis has shared on Instagram with the #thistlebone tag it seems to be fully-painted. Given that the last process clip was shared was only a few days ago, I'd hazard a guess that it's running a little behind schedule and has been shuffled a bit into the New Year. It would explain the absence and the mega opening episode of Fiends.

It looks stunning though - could be something really special.

Proudhuff · 31 December, 2018, 10:02:02 PM

Lovely to see the prog sitting on my mat, not so good a house guest used it as a drink mat 😮

What's Matt's injury... Damage Report indeed.

stunning cover, Dredd a bit of hard work for the punchline and I'm champing at the bit for the next epic.

All good in the prog other wise....

Proudhuff · 31 December, 2018, 10:04:07 PM

Is that the back of Skizz's head in Skip Story I see?

broodblik · 02 January, 2019, 04:16:32 AM

As we enter a new year a new org lands on our doorsteps. As with a new year the prog should new fresh and something different, but the prog feels like it is still stuck in 2018. We are getting an on-shot Dredd, a filler story, a story in the middle of is loop and two tales that was in the prog quite recently. The prog was solid (leaning more to average) and my biggest gripe is nothing to do with the stories but rather the current line-up.

Dredd. For me Rory's once off Dredd scripts are a case of a hit or a miss. The story is adequate nothing spectacular, so I will put it more on the miss category. The script is not helped by the art. I am not Cornwell fan (there is nothing per say wrong with the art).

Brink is one of those stories in my younger days which I wold have hated. Where is the action the killing the explosions the Arnie one-liners? This is not that story and luckily, I have grown up (hopefully). It is just awesome. This is like a slow poison systematically taking over the system. Abnett story-telling is gripping and spellbinding.

Skip Tracer continues where it left off. I really like the story with some great art by Marshall. This is not the most unique and gripping story but nice little 80s retro tale.

3riller. I am little bit on the fence on this one and will keep my reservations for later in the story. Nothing currently intrigues me on this.

Fiends the highlight of the prog. Great story with awesome black and white art by Tiernen. I liked Taylor take on the Fiends and Tiernen just gave the story another dimension. Two wonderful artists bring their trade to the same story.

norton canes · 02 January, 2019, 07:57:17 PM

Dear Tharg,

Please can we have a moratorium on one-shot Dredd stories designed specifically to work up to an excruciating pun? Nothing against the individual contributors in this prog but it's becoming a bit of a grind.

Florix grabundae!

Jim_Campbell · 02 January, 2019, 08:22:12 PM

Quote from: broodblik on 02 January, 2019, 04:16:32 AM
As with a new year the prog should new fresh and something different

I don't understand this. The end of year prog is a 'jumping on' issue* — surely the issue that follows it will, by definition, continue from there...?

* For the first (very) few years, the end of year prog was a triumphant capstone to the year. Prog 2000 itself was basically a gift to its readers because so very many people, including quite a lot who worked for the comic, thought that it wouldn't get to the year 2000. In more recent years, that hasn't been the purpose of the end of year prog at all, and we should celebrate the reason for that.

broodblik · 03 January, 2019, 02:59:42 AM

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 02 January, 2019, 08:22:12 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 02 January, 2019, 04:16:32 AM
As with a new year the prog should new fresh and something different

I don't understand this. The end of year prog is a 'jumping on' issue* — surely the issue that follows it will, by definition, continue from there...?

Maybe I am over critically and the last few years spoiled me where the first prog of the year is all new stories that started in the xmas prog. This year we only had two stories that started in the xmas prog. Maybe it is due to scheduling as Colin YNWA pointed out.

Sorry to be an ungratefully Squaxx

Bolt-01 · 03 January, 2019, 08:31:49 AM

I'm really liking how much Tiernans work suits the WWII monster vibe- so glad to have gotten this cover to a classic Zarjaz in 2016 from him...

Copies still available too...